It's official: 3 Indy car races coming to Barber Motorsports Park

Joe Songer/Birmingham NewsAlabama Gov. Bob Riley squeezes into the cockpit of a Dan Wheldon Indy race car at the Barber Motorsports Park after the announcement of the Indy Racing League conducting races in 2010 at the track.

The Indy Grand Prix of Alabama is slated for April 9-11, the third stop on the IndyCar Series schedule and two races before the Indianapolis 500 in 2010.

"The Barber Motorsports Park is the finest road track in North America and deserves an event of this caliber and prestige," said Gene Hallman, president of Zoom Motorsports, which will present the race. "This will be the only IndyCar Series race in the Deep South, meaning it is a great tourist draw for the region."

Joe Songer/Birmingham NewsGeorge Barber, owner of the Barber Motorsports Park, beams Monday after the announcment his track was chosen for IndyCar races in April 2010.

The CVB was part of a team that included the racetrack, Zoom, State of Alabama, City of Birmingham and others.

Gov. Bob Riley and Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford praised George Barber's vision to invest his own money developing the $70 million facility, making it possible to win the event. Riley said the race will showcase the state the rest of the world and Langford said it shows what can be accomplished through teamwork.

"We are pleased to bring the speed and excitement of the IndyCar Series to Barber Motorsports Park, the greater Birmingham area and the state of Alabama," Terry Angstadt, president of the commercial division for Indy Racing League, said in a statement. "The nearly two-year pursuit to bring IndyCar Series racing to Birmingham only reinforces the professionalism and planning put into this by our newest scheduling partner."

Indy racer Dan Wheldon weighed in on the announcement via telephone.

He said the 2.38 mile road track at Barber is both beautiful and challenging and coming back for a real race after the two testing runs in the past is generating a buzz among drivers.